Submarine mine and sinker



Jul 8 1924.

A. L. GWYNNE ET AL SUBMARINE MINE AND SINKER Filed June 3. 1921 INVENTORS Patented July 8, 1924.

U ET E I ST ALBAN LEWIS GWYNNE AND ROBERT ALEXANDER STURGEON, 0F PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND.

Application filed Tune 3, 1921.

Serial No. 474,783.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1313.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBAN Lnwrs GWYNNE and ROBERT ALEXANDER STUR- GEON, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at H. M. S. Vernon, Portsmouth, in the county of Hants, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Submarine Mines and Sinkers (for which we have filed application in Great Britain, No. 157,997, dated September 20, 1916), of which the following is a specification. I p

This invention relates generally to moored submarine mines of the kind in which a plummet is employed with the mooring mechanism to give the depth taking of the mine in the well known way.

The invention has for its object the delay of the operation of the mooring mechanism after launching, until the mine, sinker and plummet have assumed a steady upright position and are free from the effect of the disturbed water.

According to this invention the mine, sinker and plummet are initially held together by releasable devices independent of the mooring rope to constitute a launching unit, said unit being arranged to have positive buoyancy at the time of launching, so that it returns to the surface, the subsequent operation of the releasing devices allowing the parts to function in the normal manner.

The mine, sinker and plummet may be separated by various methods, such as the plummet may be allowed to eXert a force on a dashpot as soon as the sinker leaves the rails the dashpot being timed to release the plummet after returning to the surface, and then the device which holds the mine and sinker together independent of the mooring rope.

7 Or, a hydrostat may control the plummet, the hydrostat not operating until after the mine, sinker and plummet return to the surface. The necessary delay may be attained by placing the hydrostat in a chamber which has to fill a predetermined amount before it can operate so that when the predetermined pressure is reached, the plummet is released. The mine may eventually be released by the action of the plummet or by a continuation of the action of the hydrostat, or the mine may be released by independent means.

Or, the pull of the sinker as it fills may be arranged first to release the plummet through a suitable linkage, and then the mlne.

Or, a float may be provided in the sinker or in a filling chamber adjacent thereto, and arranged so that as the sinker fills, the float is operated to release the plummet and the mine in the desired order.

Typical forms of mine gear embodying this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation of a form in which the plummet is held by a dashpot or equivalent delay action device, and the mine release is efiected by the fall of the plummet when freed of the dashpot or the like. Figure 2 is an elevation of a detail of the mine releasing devicel Figures 3 and 4 are elevations at right angles of the form in which a hydrostat is employed, Figure 3 being shown in part section for the sake of clea-rness. F igure 5 a part sectional elevation of another form in which a dashpot is employed and Figure 6 a part sectional elevation in which a float is employed. Corresponding parts of the various figures will be referred to by the same reference numeral.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the mine 1 is held to the sinker 2 by links or straps 3, one of which is connected to a releasing devic 4 carried by the sinker while the others are pivoted to the sinker and engage over hooks or lugs 5 on the mine.

The plunmiet 6 is initially held by a hook connected to a hinged cap 6 of the plummet, the cap being keyed to a shaft 7 to which is also keyed a lever 8 of a dashpot 8. The shaft 7 before launching is held by a linkage 9 which is controlled by a piv' oted wheel 9 engaging the mine rails 37. The link 3 of the mine release t is engaged over a pivoted hooklO, the other end. of

which is prevented from moving towards the releasing position by a strap or link 11 engaging over this end and a fixed part 12; The link 11 carries, a second link which is connected to a chain 13 secured to the plummet and to a rope or wire 14 operating the pawl or equivalent co-operating with the ratchet drum. A bottle screw 15 may be provided for adjusting the tension on the links 3 between the mine and slnker.

In operation, the whole of the gear after launching comes back to the surface and rights itself, the sinker filling with water. As soon as the dashpot 8 frees the plummet 6, the latter falls from its guides or housing on the sinker, and pulls awaythe link 11, to release the hook 10, which is pulled around, so that the link 3 can free itself. The mine then disconnects itself from the other links 3, meanwhile the fall of the plummet has put tension on the wire let to hold the mooring rope drum unpawled. The sinker falls towards the bottom and the mooring takes place in the usual manner, without any of the parts being sub ect to the effect of disturbed waters.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 1, the link 3 of the mine releasing device 4: engages over the hooked end of a lever 17, the other end of which is initially engaged by a catch 18 mounted on the spindle 19 of the pawl 20 of the winding drum ratchet 21, and under the action of a spring 22. The plummet chain or wire is connected to the catch 18 at the point 23. The plummet 6 is initially suspended on a tumbler hook 24; pivoted to a lever 25 which is operated by a hydrostat 26 against a spring 27 The tumbler hook is so arranged that initially the weight of the plummet prevents it from falling. I

In operation, after launching, the unit comes back to the surface and the sinker commences to fill with water. On a predetermined hydrostatic pressure being set up either by the sinker filling with water, or the unit sinking to a predetermined depth or otherwise, the lever 25 is operated by the hydrostat to withdraw the pivot of the tumbler hook 24 away from the plummet, suiiiciently for the tumbler hook to be tripped by the weight of the plummet. which thereupon falls, and pulls the catch 18 downwards to unpawl the winding drum, and to free the lever 17, which is thereby tripped to release the link 3 of the device 4t and so cause the release of the mine to take place. The mooring operations then proceed in the usual manner.

Referring now to Figure 5, the plummet 6 is initially held suspended by a lever 28 one end of which is-forked as at 28 to form one part of the mine release device, a link 3 (not shown) being engaged by this end. The lever is connected to 'a rod 29 which is under the action of a spring 30 and forms a part of a dashpot 31.

hen the unit having the characteristics hereinbefore described, is launched, the shock on launching is taken by the dashpot 31 so that the plummet is not released. lVhen the unit right-s itself the weight of the plummet overcomes the spring 30 and the lever 28 is rotated sufficiently to allow the plummet to fall and hold the mooring rope drum unpawled. The movement of the lever 28 during the release of the plummet, is preferably so arranged that it is not suiiicient to-release the link 3 forming part of the mine release device. For this purpose the forked end of the lever may be arranged to fit closely within a curved guide 32. The sinker meanwhile goes on filling and thus increases the pull between itself which becomes negatively buoyant and the mine which is of positive buoyancy. As soon as the pull is svthcient to overcome the spring 30 to the pie-determined degree, the link 3 rotates the catch 28 upwards and finally becomes free whereupon the release of the mine takes place. The mooring operations then proceeds in the usual. manner.

Referring now to Figure 6, the plummet 6 is initially suspended on one arm of a lever 33, the other arm of which is held by a catch 3- 1 on a pivoted arm 35 connected to a float 36, in the sinker 2 or in a filling chamber adjacent thereto.

As the water fills the sinker, the float 36 rises, and at a pre-determined position frees the catch 3 1 to allow the plummet to fall. The release of the mine may be efifected in any of the ways hereinbefore de scribed or by subsequent movement of the float.

It is obvious that many departures may be made from the constructions hereinbefore described without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Such as for example the variation of the order in which the parts are released, or the dashpot or delay action devices may be provided with soluble plugs or other devices preventing their operation for a predetermined time after the unit has been launched.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper, a sinker and an anchor, mechanical means, acting independently of the ordinary mooring cable restraint, initially holding together said flotation chamber, sinker and anchor to constitute a single launching unit which has positive buoyancy so that the unit returns to the surface after launching, and delay action means which control the release of said mechanical means and which come into action automatically after launching of the mine and release said mechanical means so as to permit the mine proper, sinker and anchor to separate from one'another and thereafter to function in the usual manner.

2. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper, a sinker and an anchor, mechanical means acting independently of the ordinary mooring cable restraint initially holding to gether said flotation chamber, sinker and anchor to constitute a single launching unit which has positive buoyancy so that the unit returns to the surface after launching, and a dashpot device which controls the release of said mechanical means and which comes into action automatically after launching of the mine so as to permit the mine proper, sinker and anchor to separate from one an other and thereafter to function in the usual manner.

3. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper, a sinker and an anchor, mechanical means acting independently of the ordinary mooring cable restraint initially holding together said flotation chamber, sinker and anchor to constitute a single launching unit which has positive buoyancy so that the unit returns to the surface after launching, and a dashpot device acting also as a cushioning device which controls the release of said mechanical means and which comes into ac tion automatically after launching of the mine so as to permit the mine proper, sinker and anchor to separate from one another and thereafter to function in the usual manner.

4. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper, an initially buoyant sinker and a depth regulating plummet, amooring cable connecting said mine proper to said sinker,

a winch drum located within said sinker on which said mooring cable is wound, a mooring cable restraint constituted by a ratchet on said winch drum and a pawlconnected to said depth regulating plummet, mechanical means, acting independently of said mooring cable restraint and initially holding together said mine proper, sinker and anchor to constitute a single launching unit which has positive buoyancy so that the unit returns to the surface after launching, and delay action means which control the release of said mechanical means and which come into action automatically after launching of the mine so as to permit the mine proper, sinker and anchor to separate from one another and thereafter to function in the usual manner.

5. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper an initially buoyant sinker and a depth regulating plummet,- a mooring cable connecting said mine proper to said sinker, a winch drum located within said sinker on which said mooring cable is wound, a mooring cable restraint constituted by a ratchet on said winch drum and a pawl con nected to said depth regulating plummet, mechanical means acting independently of said mooring cable restraint and initially, holding together said mine proper, sinker and anchor to constitute a single launching unit which has positive buoyancy so that the unit returns to the surface after launching, and a delay action device which controls the release of said mechanical means and which is operated by the weight of the plummet so that it comes into action automatically after launching of the mine and releases the said mechanical means so as to permit the mine proper, sinker and anchor to separate from oneanother and thereafter to function in the usual manner.

6. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper, an initially buoyant sinker and a depth regulating plummet, a mooring cable connecting said mine proper to said sinker, a winch drum located within said sinker on which said mooring cable is Wound, a mooring cable restraint constituted by a ratchet on said winch drum and a pawl connected to said depth regulating plummet, mechanical means acting independently of said mooring cable restraint and initially holding together said mine proper, sinker and anchor to constitute a single launching unit which has positive buoyancy so that the unit returns to the surface after launching, and a dashpot device which controls the release of said mechanical means and which is operated by the weight of the plummet so that it comes into action automatically after launching of the mine and-releases the said mechanical means so as to permit the mine proper, sinker and anchor to separate from one another and thereafter to function in the usual manner.

7. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper, an initially buoyant sinkerand a depth regulating plummet, a mooring cable connecting said mine proper to said sinker, a winch drum located within said sinker on which said mooring cable is wound, a mooring cable restraint constituted by a ratchet on said winch drum and a pawl connected to said depth regulating plummet, mechanical means acting independently of said mooring cab-1e restraint and initially holding together said mine proper, sinker and anchor to constitute a single launching unit which has positive buoyancy so that the unit returns to the surface after launching, and a dashpot device, acting also'as a cushioning device, which controls the release of said mechanical means and which is operated by the weight of the plummet after launching of the mine so that it comes into action automatically and permits the mine proper, sinker and anchor to separate from one another and thereafter to function in the usual manner.

8. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper, a sinker and anchor, means for holding components together initially and gradually acting means for separating the mine from the anchor and for causmg the anchor to have a negative buoyancy, said means being independent of the ordinary mooring cable restraint.

9. A submarine mine comprising a mine proper, a sinker and anchor, said mine having fastenings which hold it together initially and being designed to have a positive buoyancy whereby the anchor sinks, and buoyancy at the moment of the release means for adjusting the depth to which the whereby it rises to the surfaeeiof the water, mine is pulled by the anchor, said means 1 and means Operated independently of the being released gradually after launching. mooring cable restraint for causing the anchor to separate from the mine pnoper N LEWIS W 'NN and for causing it to acquire a negative ROBERT ALEXANDER STURGEON. 

